Graphic by Penelope Taylor ’20
BY DEANNA KALIAN ’21
Fans of George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series have been waiting impatiently for the release of the sixth and penultimate installment, “The Winds of Winter.” Martin published his most recent book in the series, “A Dance with Dragons,” in the summer of 2011, and fans have been waiting for “The Winds of Winter” ever since.
Martin released a tantalizing excerpt from the novel on his website in May 2016. No further details about the book have been revealed so far, except that “The Winds of Winter” will parallel the plot of the final season of “Game of Thrones,” as reported in The Sun Magazine. However, an official statement by HBO announced that season eight won’t air until 2019. Some believe that Martin intends to release “The Winds of Winter” concurrently with “Game of Thrones”’ final season, but according to Martin, who communicates with fans via his blog (titled“Not A Blog”), the release date is not set in stone.
“I know you all want to know about “THE WINDS OF WINTER” he wrote. “I am still working on it, I am still months away (how many? good question), I still have good days and bad days, and that’s all I care to say….but I do think you will have a Westeros book from me in 2018…and who knows, maybe two.”
Since Martin hinted that “The Winds of Winter” will follow season eight of “Game of Thrones,” some fans suspect that he is consulting with writers for the show to ensure his novel coincides with season eight’s major plot points. This time, Martin is utilizing the creative genius of others in crafting his own work, so the project shouldn’t be as difficult to complete as his former novels. However, as indicated by the utter lack of current “The Winds of Winter” news, Martin appears to be taking his time in finishing this installment.
Martin teased that “The Winds of Winter” may hit bookshelves this year, yet he seems to be working on every project but “The Winds of Winter.” According to his website, his novella “Nightflyers” and anthology “Nightflyers and Other Stories” are to be released on May 29 of this year. His graphic novel “Windhaven” will be released on July 10, and the next two installments in his “Wildcards” mosaic anthologies, “Low Chicago” and “Texas Hold’em,” will appear in July and October, respectively. While it’s comforting to know that Martin is keeping busy and producing more works for readers to enjoy, many fans are understandably annoyed by Martin’s torpid pace in completing “A Song of Ice and Fire.”